Lifelong Learners in the School of Languages

Welcome to the Sabancı University School of Languages website dedicated to Lifelong Learning.  

We wish this site to be a resource for all no matter what stage of our lifelong learning journey we may be on. So, please feel free to get in contact whether you be an instructor or learner in SL or a visitor to our site. Please take some time to look around and get in contact if you have any comments, suggestions, would like to contribute to the site or would just like to say hello.

About the School of Languages Lifelong Learning Statements

In Autumn 2016 we published our lifelong learning statements. They were the result of a project that collated our instructors' opinions of lifelong learning in our context and application of relevant research such as that of Carol Dweck into Mindsets. 
Our statements are below. We formulated them to guide our interests and development. We recognise that all of us will be at different stages of our development in different areas. The statements indicate guiding attitudes, principles and skills.  They are certainly not intended to be used as Can Do statements.

To discover more about the ideas behind the individual statements please click the relevant links.

Lifelong Learners

​Lifelong learners recognise that intelligences* can develop through learning and they value opportunities to learn.
 
*Intelligence is “the ability to learn or understand things or deal with new or difficult situations” (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary).
Lifelong learners identify and understand the skills, attitudes and knowledge that make them successful learners and how they can apply them to new situations. They also wish to develop and add to these skills, attitudes and knowledge throughout their lives.
Lifelong learners ​learn from all feedback. They also reflect accurately on their own learning and actively look for ways, and take opportunities, to help themselves develop.
​Lifelong learners understand that their personal success is achieved through hard work and persistence. They  work actively, undertaking deliberate practice,  to achieve their potential.
​Lifelong learners embrace challenge and take risks. They learn from mistakes and act upon the experience.
​Lifelong learners have a positive effect on other people. They also take inspiration and pleasure in other peoples’ success.
​Lifelong learners value the pursuit of knowledge because it is interesting and they enjoy learning new things.
​Lifelong learners are people with their own interests, personalities and preferences. There is more to them than their academic studies.
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​Lifelong learners use critical and creative thinking to help them learn and make decisions.